Edinburgh signs pledge to end zero-hours contracts

By John Morgan. The University of Edinburgh has signed an agreement to cease all use of zero-hours contracts and replace them with “fair and equitable” deals. Times Higher Education reported yesterday that Edinburgh had been found to be the biggest user of zero-hours contracts for academic staff in a University and College Union survey of UK institutions, and had committed to stop using the contracts. Edinburgh had 2,712 academic staff on the controversial deals, which give workers no certainty on the hours they will work or on their income. 
Now the UCU has said it has signed a formal agreement with the university to ensure it meets the commitment on abolishing use of the contracts. More...